What are the best examples of storytelling in brand management?

Way too much business babble here. Real brands tell the best stories. These are what I call the candy brands. Brands that have a real tangible core (the product) and a great wrapper (the emotional content. Great brands tell real stories from their own past and present or from their consumers past and present. These stories are engaging, entertaining, emotional, real and simple. That’s it.

Brand storytelling is the art of weaving a compelling narrative that encapsulates a brand's essence, values, and mission. It transcends mere facts or features, aiming to strike an emotional chord and foster genuine connections with the audience. For example, Nike's "Just Do It" campaign tells stories of perseverance and determination, resonating deeply with many. This storytelling approach is helpful because it humanizes brands, making them more relatable and memorable. It's never just about selling a product or service but about sharing a journey, a vision, or a cause, which people can relate to.

Brand Storytelling is most effective when its someone else's story that the brand is telling and it seems to be conveyed through their own lens. One Great example was the Trip campaign commissioned by Royal Enfield where the stories profiled individual Royal Enfield RIders, each unique in their lifestyle and personality but with one single binding factor underneath. They all 'tripped' on their Royal Enfield. A Journey that each one of them held precious to their heart People created their own Trip Stories and shared them on their social media profiles and this kick-started a revolution of storytelling, from a consumer's perspective of the brand's indirect effect on them and thus became the Brand's story itself...

The most important considerations: * Emphasize your brand's history and values while showcasing a large portion of your product catalog * You can link to your brand store and other product information pages * Focus on brand image *Brand logo and description * You can communicate the vision and values of your company and the benefits of your products * Can be used to highlight product benefits or for brand communication * Focus on educating the buyer about your brand and products * Show what is unique about your company and products * Use only the highest quality images * Try to build a bond with your customer * Collect comments from friends, acquaintances, relatives and modify these instructions before publication

Storytelling is can make or break a brand management. By weaving an engaging story, brands can emotionally resonate with consumers, fostering trust and dedication. MasterCard's "Priceless" Campaign is one such example. By focusing on the moments that money can't buy, MasterCard tells a story about the true value of experiences. DBS's "Live More. Bank Less" is another great example where at first glance, it sounds counter-intuitive where a Bank is asking its clients to "Bank Less". However, when its meaning behind, where clients get to live their lives better by having DBS be invisibly embedded in their journey, makes the story absolutely brilliant!

When I worked at Red Bull, brand storytelling focused on creating an emotional connection by aligning the brand with the aspirations, interests, and values of our target audience. Using content marketing, sampling programs, mind blowing events and community engagement to reinforce the brand's message of living life to the fullest and pursuing one's passions while using the utility of the beverage. Ultimately creating a strong and lasting bond between Red Bull customers and the Red Bull brand.

Storytelling in branding encapsulates a brand's purpose. Take marketing pasta sauce, for instance. True storytelling reveals how this sauce, steeped in generations of Italian tradition, creates cherished memories during family dinners. During my tenure at Ray-Ban, I marveled at their adept use of storytelling in marketing. They don't merely sell sunglasses; they offer a lifestyle and a rebellion against conformity. Ray-Ban crafts a narrative rooted in their iconic aviator sunglasses, originally designed for U.S. aviators in the 1930s. This narrative of adventure, courage, and individuality consistently permeates their campaigns, transforming Ray-Ban into more than eyewear; it's a symbol of fearless self-expression.

Humans decide based on emotion and then rationalize. Most buy feelings, not just products. Storytelling conveys motives and feelings behind what we offer, creating a "good feeling" for users, and fostering loyalty. Brand storytelling connects with users, making them brand ambassadors who attract like-minded individuals, forming a community. This community acts as a vast support system, elevating the idea to success via User-Generated Content, authenticity, feedback, and improvement.

The most important role of storytelling is to form human connection to make themselves relatable. Once they do so, they cease to exits just as a product or service. With it, the brands differentiate themselves from other brands and most importantly create a memorable emotional bond. Stories create an engagement. If done correctly, storytelling can attract the audiences to become a part of their universe, and thus increase brand affinity.

A brand only exists when a user has some emotional link with a product, e.g. it makes me happy, inspires me, I feel like an expert using it, etc. Good brand storytelling can build, nurture and elevate this emotional link. Even create new connections.

Start out with the WHY. Think of what the takeaway should be. Write a draft. Read it out loud. Rework it. Take a break. Come back to it. Edit it. Send it off to a few trusted colleagues, someone with zero insight, and your mentor. Rework it with their feedback. Try it out as part of your speaking points. Repeat repeat repeat. Learn it by heart. Speak it with passion.

Establishing a relatable protagonist in brand storytelling creates an emotional anchor for the audience. This protagonist can be the founder, the brand itself, or the customer. Founder as Protagonist: Example: Steve Jobs for Apple. His personal journey, vision, and passion for innovation and design became synonymous with Apple's brand story. Brand as Protagonist: Coca-Cola. Through campaigns like "Share a Coke," Coca-Cola positions itself as the central character, symbolizing happiness, togetherness, and celebration. Customer as Protagonist: Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign. Dove showcased real women, making them the heroes of the narrative, redefining beauty standards, and resonating deeply with a wider audience.

I start with who my brand’s customers are and what is their pain point that my brand solves. With that in mind, I think about the core values of my brand, what key message we want customers to know and why it is important to them. Then we brainstorm stories and test if their narrative is strong enough to be effective across touchpoints and if it has the staying power to evolve over time. A great example of Brand Storytelling is Doritos For the Bold campaigns using the before and after of eating 3 Doritos to jump into bold situations. It has been an effective storytelling narrative for many years and many iterations across channels.

Creating a brand story is not an A-Z checklist, as suggested in the summary. A new brand might start with a simple statement or promise about why it exists, e.g.' we make red paint', which could be its essential 'story'. Notice this is product-focused. Over time, assuming its raison d'etre has longevity, its paint story can grow into something bigger. Think of shades of red paint applications, red-themed decoration ideas, collaborations with decorators, events, etc. The story evolves into something much bigger than red paint. But to get to this point, our 'red paint' company will have spent time understanding why their customers buy their paint. Over time, the brand story becomes less about the brand itself and more about its users.

Crafting a brand story means defining your brand's purpose, values, personality, audience, message, voice, plot, characters, and setting. Take Airbnb, for example: Purpose: Connect people through unique travel experiences. Values: Inclusivity, belonging, cultural exchange. Personality: Friendly, adventurous. Audience: Travel enthusiasts seeking memorable stays. Message: "Belong Anywhere" - making anywhere feel like home. Voice: Conversational, warm. Plot: Guests discover extraordinary places and hosts welcome them. Characters: Hosts, guests, and the diverse locations. Setting: Worldwide, from cozy cabins to exotic locales. Airbnb's brand story is brilliant. The service, I leave for you to judge. But they are one of the unicorns.

The personal example that is closest to my heart is when we discovered the purpose of Cadbury Celebrations and launched 'Tih Iss Diwali Aap Kise Khush Karangay?', where we realised that gifting is often about Show Off while Cadbury Celebrations can Hero the Cause of Truly Making Someone Happy during Diwali!

I live in Moray Speyside in Scotland - Whisky ?? country! Arguably the standout brand masterclass in our region can be found at The MacAllan distillery near Craigellachie. This summer they ran a brand activation called ‘The Pioneer Experience.’ The storytelling took place all around their riverside estate, with actors sharing scenes at different locations and a wee dram ?? or two served along the way. It was a truly immersive re-enactment of their founders’ story and I doubt a single attendee left without a renewed passion and connection for the brand. Come to Moray Speyside and see for yourself next summer! #TheMacAllan

ASICS, or Onitsuka Co Ltd as it was known back then, started making basketball shoes in postwar Japan to help youth get back on track. I spent 12 years with ASICS and often went back to the origin, the WHY. I still do. In my opinion, it's amongst the best examples of storytelling in brand management.

Marico's brand Saffola has been successful in leveraging storytelling to promote heart health. Every year, on World Heart Day, the brand launches a campaign focusing on the narrative of protecting loved ones' hearts. The campaign features relatable stories of individuals making heart-healthy choices and emphasized the emotional connection between a healthy heart and family well-being. In 2023, the Saffola 40 Under 40 campaign aimed at addressing the pressing issue of '60's diseases in 40's' by inspiring India to embrace healthier living.

Consider Coca-Cola, a master of brand storytelling. They've weaved emotional narratives around their iconic drink, tugging at universal themes like happiness and togetherness. Take "Share a Coke," for example. Personalizing bottles with names encouraged people to share and strengthened the brand's connection. Their "Holidays are Coming" Christmas campaign, with the iconic truck, evokes warmth and anticipation. They've even tackled social issues with "Small World Machines," bridging gaps between India and Pakistan through shared Cokes. Coca-Cola's storytelling isn't just about a product; it's about creating memorable moments and forging emotional bonds. It's a lesson in how storytelling can turn a brand into a part of people's lives.

Measuring your brand storytelling impact is like using a compass in a digital world: Define Objectives and KPIs: Set clear goals – awareness, perception, engagement, loyalty, or conversions. Track and Analyze: Regularly monitor data. Awareness: Reach, impressions, mentions. Perception: Sentiment, reputation, ratings. Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, views. Loyalty: Retention, referrals, advocacy. Conversion: Leads, sales, ROI. These metrics reveal how your audience responds, helping refine your strategy and drive brand loyalty and conversions. It's your compass in the digital wilderness.

Set clear goals. What do you want to achieve? Increased brand awareness, customer engagement, or conversions? Once you know your goals, you can choose the right metrics to track. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs are measurable metrics that show how well you're meeting your goals. Establish benchmarks for success. Compare your performance to industry standards, historical data, or competitor analysis to see how you're doing. Track sentiment and brand perception. This will help you understand how your brand is perceived and identify areas for improvement. You can use social listening tools to track sentiment and measure brand perception.

Before you even start story telling you need to conduct a full brand diagnosis. This involves conducting research that puts you in your customers shoes. It’s about them not you. - Make sure to do both quantitative ans qualitative research. Both give different perspectives and support each other. - from the diagnosis find themes. From these themes define your goals and kpis - less is more when it comes to the goals part, we all have limited resources make sure to focus on less and really put energy into it.

Identify the key message(s) you want to come across your brand storytelling and test with audiences exposed to your brand story what messages they associate to your brand. The hardest test is for them to spontaneously respond the key message as associated to your brand without any aid.

The impact of a Brand's Storytelling in my view can be measures based on two categories: Short-term/ Instant Gratification and Long-term Value. The category they fall into depends of the brand's objective. Some brands focus mostly on following trends so their content strategy centers around connecting their stories with what I call a "momentary audiences", those people who support certain causes and visions short-term. Fast customer acquisition may and short-term retention. On the other hands the brands that focus on building a legacy, create a story-telling that aligns with their purpose, core-values, DNA etc. establishing a potent emotional connection and building trust and as a result a loyal clientele and high retention value.

Don't stuff the story with too much detail. Simplify it. Visualize it for improved recall. Be mindful of your listener's time. Stay consistent by telling the same story over and over again. Good luck!

B2B and B2C storytelling have more in common than people think. For example, use-case stories featuring technical products used by teams who push products to the limit. I've used this previously in marine electronics, filming with first responders who use radar and sonar in life-threatening situations. They need to place 100% trust in their equipment. The story is all about the team and its members. The products barely feature — a production packed with a fantastic mix of emotions: drama, tension, action, teamwork, beautifully dangerous nature, human endeavour, and a successful mission. The people are the heroes, the products, the enablers. Customer feedback: "If the product is good enough for them, it is good enough for me".

As we observe the paradigm shifts in today's brand narratives, there's an underlying theme emerging: authenticity. Consumers, more than ever, are yearning for genuine, unfiltered stories. Brands like Patagonia, for instance, are setting a benchmark. Instead of just selling outdoor apparel, they share tales of environmental activism, cementing their commitment to the planet. It's not just about a product; it’s the ethos that product represents. Today's discerning audiences can see through corporate veneers. It’s essential to understand that storytelling isn't about weaving a tale; it's about sharing your truth. In an era of skepticism, a brand’s genuine narrative, aligned with its actions, becomes its strongest asset.